MURFREESBORO, N.C. – The No. 16 Bowie State University football team scored the game's only offensive touchdown in the fourth quarter as the Bulldogs defense caged the NCAA Division II's top scoring offensive team in No. 24 Chowan Hawks to a season-low 167 yards for a 14-3 road victory Saturday afternoon at Garrison Stadium.
With the win, No. 16 Bowie State improves to 5-1 overall, 3-0 in Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) and 1-0 in the Northern Division while Chowan suffers their first loss on the year at 5-1 overall, 2-1 in the league and 0-1 in the North.
Although the Bulldogs accounted for just 112 total yards' of offense, including 55 through the air and 57 on the ground - it was BSU's defense that proved why they were one of the best defense's in the nation as No. 16 Bowie State held the Hawks to 69 passing yards and 98 rushing yards – a team that averaged 51.4 points per game before today.
Senior running back Calil Wilkins (Temple Hills, MD) rushed for 73-yards on 22 carries while senior quarterback Ja'rome Johnson (Washington, D.C.) went 5-of-10 for 55 yards and touchdown. Senior wide receiver Montez Clay (Baltimore, MD) finished with two catches for 20 yards and a touchdown.
BSU's defense was led by redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Jonathan Ross (Waldorf, MD) and graduate senior linebacker Wesley Bowers (Fort Washington, MD) with nine total tackles apiece. Ross recorded 5.5 tackle for loss and a sack while redshirt sophomore redshirt sophomore defensive back Jordan Carter (Bryans Road, MD) and redshirt junior defensive lineman Joshua Pryor (Baltimore, MD) both grabbed a total of seven tackles, respectively. Pryor also registered 2.5 tackle for loss and a sack.
The first half was an offensive struggle for both teams. The Hawks took an early 3-0 lead on a 40-yard field goal but a few possessions later, Pryor forced a fumble and redshirt freshman defensive lineman Nigel Johnson (Suitland, MD) recovered the fumble for a 33-yard touchdown as the Bulldogs took a 7-3 lead at the 4:35 mark of the first quarter.
After a dull second and third quarter, it would not be until the fourth frame when BSU used a 10-play drive worth 66-yards for the game's only touchdown – that drive included five total penalties, capped by an offside call from the Hawks that set up a six-yard reception touchdown from Johnson to Clay with 4:47 left in regulation.
On the ensuing possession, Chowan captured a first down but shortly after, the Bulldogs garnered a pair of sacks that sealed any chance of a Hawks comeback or score.
The No. 16 Bowie State Bulldogs will return home to Bulldogs Stadium next Saturday (Oct. 16) for a division matchup with Virginia State at 1 p.m. The contest will kick off one of four games featured on the CIAA/Aspire TV schedule.
For the most up-to-date information on Bowie State University Athletics and its 13 varsity sports teams, please visit www.bsubulldogs.com.
